Visit the Irish Grown Wool Council at the Bord Bia Bloom festival in the Irish Craft Village demonstrations area on Thursday 29th May.
See Portach Álainn (Beautiful Bogland) on display, a felted sculpture by textile artist Sharon Wells, made using Irish grown wool and recycled yarns to create dragonflies, heather, bog cotton and moss.
For one day only, Thursday 29th May 2025, the Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC) will be part of the Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s ‘Irish Craft Village’ in the Craft Demonstration area. Engaging elements include wildflower wool sculpture felting activities and peg loom demonstrations by feltmaker, textile artist and tutor Sharon Wells. IGWC will display product innovations using Irish grown wool for home and garden to some of the expected 100,000 visitors to the festival.
Interactive activities for all ages, including wildflower wool sculpture felting and peg loom demos plus a showcase of Irish-grown wool products
Portach Álainn (Beautiful Bogland) wool sculpture by Sharon Wells
Portach Álainn is a bogland inspired base wool sculpture and an educational opportunity for adults and children. Featuring plants made from Irish grown wool inspired by native lichens and bryophytes and insects such as dragonflies and bog spiders. Made using hand dyed wool from all over Ireland, sourced directly from the farms, plus recycled yarns, old jumpers, old tapestry wool thread and gorse and eucalyptus dyed fibres. Promoting the use of natural wool from Irish sheep farms, recycled yarns, hand dyed fibre and hand spun yarn. The piece celebrates wellbeing, the Irish natural landscape and sustainable materials.
Staffed by volunteers and Irish Grown Wool Council members, the stand will also display wool products with a sustainable focus, for home, gardens and beyond, informing visitors of the potential of this sustainable biofibre for their homes and gardens.
See Area 26 for ‘Irish Craft Village’ on the Bord Bia Bloom Map for our placement on Thursday 29th May 2025.
Recent shifts in global economies, market demands and the emergence of unsustainable fibres have significantly impacted the Irish grown wool industry and the Irish Grown Wool Council was established to address these challenges.
Speaking about their inclusion in the festival Catherine Phibbs from the Irish Grown Wool Council stated:
“The Bord Bia Bloom festival is a fantastic opportunity for the Irish Grown Wool Council to be able to share the challenges, opportunities and innovations taking place with Irish grown wool to a large public audience. Visit us in the demonstrations area at the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland ‘Irish Craft Village’ area on Thursday 29th May to see the exciting developments for Irish grown wool, both as an end product and an ingredient product. Plus there will also be engaging activities for visitors of all ages. See the beautiful wool felted sculptural piece Portach Álainn (Beautiful Bogland) by Sharon Wells, who will also be demonstrating how she made the felted wildflowers for the sculpture, as well as inviting visitors of all ages to try their hand at peg looms. Our display area will show innovative wool products that offer sustainable home and gardening solutions. Join us on Thursday 29th May for insight and inspiration to see how you can use locally and sustainably grown Irish wool products at home and in your garden.”
Also taking place over the June Bank holiday weekend is Shearfest 2025 in Galway. A weekend of sheep-shearing, family fun and more at Mountbellew, Galway. Competitors from across Europe will gather for the largest dedicated sheep event in Ireland in 2025. These championships are often described as the “Olympics of sheep shearing”. See www.shearfest.ie for more details.
The Irish Grown Wool Council brings wool stakeholders together to realise the true potential of Irish grown wool, locally and globally. Bringing wool stakeholders from across the island of Ireland together to realise the potential of Irish grown wool as a natural, sustainable and versatile material.
The Irish Grown Wool Council’s objective is to transform Irish grown wool; an underutilised and undervalued resource, into a branded value-added product for the benefit of farmers (primary producers) and the wider supply chain. Building on a rich heritage to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the characteristics of Irish wool, improving the quality and sustainability of Irish grown wool. They facilitate collaboration in product and market research to ultimately apply innovative product solutions.
Tickets are available at bordbiabloom.com
